Boss Jones calls for fans to turn Kenilworth Road into a ‘Luton cauldron’

Mike Simmonds

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has urged supporters to turn Kenilworth Road into a cauldron of noise for tomorrow night’s League Two play-off semi-final second leg with Blackpool.

The game is a sell out, with Town fans snapping up 250 tickets returned by the visitors as well, with another 350 expected to go before kick-off, meaning a gate of over 10,000 will be attempting to roar their side to Wembley.

We’d have liked to go up already but what a way to turn around a tie, in front of 10,000 of your own fans, it’s absolutely outstanding.

Nathan Jones

Jones said: “I want it to be a big game, it is a big game, I want us to have every little edge that we possibly can.

“We’ve got a full house, we’ve sold out, I think we’ve taken most of Blackpool’s tickets as well so it’s going to be a Luton cauldron.

“That’s what we want as it’s going to be a wonderful night, and these are the nights why you want to be a manager, want to be player.

“Yes, we’d have liked to go up already but what a way to turn around a tie, in front of 10,000 of your own fans, it’s absolutely outstanding.

“The weather’s a little bit adverse so it’s going to be nice slick, greasy pitch and you couldn’t ask for a better night of football.

“We want the fans to get behind us, we want to give them an unbelievable night as I think together it could be.

“My chief exec (Gary Sweet) said to me, ‘you’d have taken this at the beginning of the season.’

“I probably wouldn’t have, I’d have liked to have already done it, but in terms of stature of game, in terms of what we can expect, what a night.”

Young defender James Justin was also relishing the atmosphere that Town’s fans will be creating, as he said: “It should be an unbelievable night.

“I think it’s sold out, we got 200 extra ticket and sold those out within an hour, so hopefully it will be one of those nights under the Kenilworth lights.”

Jones didn’t feel that Luton’s supporters will need much motivation from himself ahead of the evening though, adding: “I don’t think I’m going to need to appeal to fans if I’m honest, but we’re on the brink of something, we’re going to need them.

“There’s going to be frustrations, there’s going to be frustrating parts of that night, but it’s a minimum 95 minute game tomorrow.

“Our players are going to need lifting, there’s going to be times when they’re fatigued as they’re going to give everything and they’re going to need a lift.

“I saw Steve Perryman appealing yesterday for the Exeter fans, I don’t think our fans are going to need any encouragement. But if they do then I’ll give it to them from the sidelines, don’t worry about that.”

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